Coalition Charges Wsvn Unfairly Portrays Blacks

MIAMI -- The coalition of black leaders that has organized a growing boycott of the convention industry is going after a new target -- WSVN-Ch. 7.

Leaders say the station`s news coverage paints an unbalanced portrait of Dade County`s black community by focusing on crime and ignoring success stories.

WSVN, which advertises itself as ``South Florida`s News Station,`` is an independent station that broadcasts 6 1/2 hours of local news a day.

``They get a big kick out of the crime scene. They always portray African- Americans as criminals,`` said the Rev. Richard Dunn, a coalition member. ``It just further reinforces fears and prejudice.``

The committee, which includes Johnnie McMillian, local leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and several black ministers, plans to stage a protest outside the station this month, Dunn said. WSVN is on North Bay Causeway in North Bay Village.

Dunn said the coalition was especially concerned about WSVN`s lack of black anchors and its ``Crime Check`` reports, a regular feature on the nightly newscast. During Crime Check, a police reporter broadcasts live from crime scenes.

Too often, the reports show black suspects, Dunn charges.

``It`s not only African-Americans committing crimes,`` Dunn said, noting that many reports identify all black neighborhoods as Liberty City or Overtown, regardless of their location.

In an interview this year in New Times, a weekly Miami newspaper, former WSVN anchor Denise White, who is black, said Crime Check verges on racism.

``If you watch Crime Check regularly, you`ll believe that black folks do nothing but commit crime,`` White, who left for an anchor job in Tampa, told the weekly newspaper.

Dunn said the coalition does not expect WSVN to stop broadcasting crime reports but wants the station to do more positive stories about the black community.

``They have a responsibility to the public trust to at least be balanced,`` Dunn said.

Patricia Clemm, WSVN`s news director, did not return three calls to her office for comment.